Break-Even
by HiroKaiMarc
Summary: Kai is finding it very difficult to to cope with one eye, especially since the others are pitying him so much. He can only see half the world now, and for him, it sucks. But with the help of his father, a Spirit of the Stars, Kai will learn to live on both sides of the world, no matter which side he can't see. (Sequel to Night of the Nindroids.)
1. Wake Me Up

**Chapter 1: Wake Up, Kai**

"Wake up, Kai."

Kai rolled over in his bed, groaning in discomfort. "Five more minutes!"

"Kai, you have to get up!"

"I don't wanna!" Kai whined, as if he was five years old again.

"Kai, just because you're missing an eye doesn't mean you can miss breakfast. Now get up!"

"Don't remind me!" Kai parted his lips to say something that… wasn't very kind. But he thought better of it and turned to Cole, having something else in mind. "And how am I supposed to get there when I can only see one side of the hall?"

"Nice try. I'll help you, just get up!"

After a few more seconds of struggling, Kai finally accepted defeat. "Fine! Jeez…"

And another struggle as he threw his blankets aside and scrambled out of bed, only to have his foot give out. And with a squeal of surprise, he stumbled to the ground.

Cole stood above him, laughing. "You okay?"

Cole offered a hand, but Kai leaned away and shoved it from his face, refusing to be pitied upon. "I got it. I just… tripped."

"Yeah, right." was all Cole said in reply.

Kai stood up slowly and shook himself off, dusting the fluff from his pajamas. He muttered something under his breath; so quiet that Cole couldn't pick it up.

"Now, let's get downstairs," Cole chirped, ignoring the thought that Kai's words probably weren't friendly. "The others are waiting."

* * *

As soon as Kai and Cole had reported to breakfast, the other ninja and their allies were all over their half-blind friend. He hadn't talked to anyone since he was injured, with the exception of Cole and Borg the night before.

"Kai, are you all right?"

"How do ya feel, Kai?"

"Kai! You're awake!"

"Do you need help?"

Lots more was said, but Kai blocked it all out. He didn't want to hear any of it. He didn't want to be reminded of his missing eye, or have empathy thrown at him for it. He just wanted to be… normal again.

But he said nothing on the topic. In fact, he said nothing at all! He simply sat down and munched on his toast (the toast Lloyd had _made_ for him. It was still an act of pity, but pity-food was still food to him).

About an hour later, Kai was lying in bed yet again, thinking about anything but the eye he had no longer… not!

_What am I supposed to do now? I'm practically useless! It's pretty hard to fight when the enemy can ambush me from my blindside._

Eventually, Kai slipped into a doze, when something amazing happened.

* * *

"Wake up, Kai." Ordered a raspy voice Kai hadn't heard in years.

Kai raised his head, blinking, then gasping in surprise. "Father!"

"Hello, Kai. It's nice to see you. It's been a while since my last visit."

Kai scrambled out of bed and dipped his head in greeting. "Hi. You're right. It _has _been a while."

"I have to talk to you." Rick turned away from his son and gazed out the window of his blacksmith shop (for that is where Kai dreamed himself), his dark brown eyes glinted in the moonlight.

"About?" Kai asked calmly.

"About… your eye."

* * *

**Yay! First chapter done! Hope you liked it! Kai! Yay! Kai's dad! Yay! Kai's eye… you will be missed.**

**As my Little Wonders readers probably noticed already, this story runs along the same theme as Little Wonders, which is trusting your friends, no matter what dark, devastating secrets you may have. And accept pity, because that means people care about you. Of course, we know Kai will never accept his friends' pity, cause he's pretty strange, so this was pretty pointless.**

**See ya all soon!**

**-HiroKaiMarc**


	2. Any Other Way

**Chapter 2: Any Other Way**

"About… your eye."

Kai flinched. Even if Rick was his father, Kai didn't expect him to deal with such a touchy subject, not now, at least.

There was an awkward silence between them as Kai attempted to process his father's words, to no avail.

"Why?" Kai answered finally. "To tell me how worthless I am? Don't bother. I already know."

"Kai," Rick sighed. His son was stubborn, too stubborn the every take his father's advice, or a hint. "You know better than that. You've known me long enough…"

"Whatever. Now, what about my eye do you need to 'talk about?'" Kai snarled.

Rick was frightened. "Kai, calm down…"

"How? Tell me how!" Kai was practically _crying_ now, causing Rick to feel the ultimate guilt, the kind of guilt that only a _good_ parent gets when their child is upset. It was mentally agonizing.

"Kai, you have to let your friends help you." Was all Rick could say.

Kai paused in his muttering, glaring back at his father with a look of pure dread. "How? How can I? I don't want their pity, father! I just want to be… normal again."

Rick thought for a moment before replying. "I felt the exact same way when I took over as Chief of Ignacia. Remember?"

"Sort of…"

"Good. And I'm sure you felt that way after I passed, and you had to lead the village through the grief-wracked winter. But you survived. Your village survived… because of you."

"What does that matter? That was five years ago."

There was an awkward silence between them, again. Then Rick said, "You learned a lot of things back then, and everything you learned as a child… everything- from the things I taught you, to the things you were taught in wars with the other villages- it all made you who you are right now. It all matters, no matter how long it's been, because it made you stronger, braver, smarter. It all made you… you. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Kai? Kai!"

With the distant calls, the starlit shop disappeared around him. Along with his father, who briskly dipped his head before vanishing into thin air to make his journey back up to the stars.

* * *

**Whoa! That was fun, right? I'm gonna have another story going up soon called Supernatural. And it's about Kai and Skylor actually being twins! :D CRAZY!**

**Hope you liked this short chapter. This story won't be too much longer anyway… :( **

**See ya soon!**

**-HiroKaiMarc**


	3. Stitches

**Chapter 3: Stitches**

Kai found it very hard to take his father's advice. He could barely make it through lunch without yelling at someone.

But actually paying attention to his friends made Kai notice the shame in Zane's eyes. He felt he had indirectly caused Kai's permanent injury, and obviously he felt terrible for it.

Kai was going to reassure his friend, but before he had the chance to say even a word, Borg marched in and dipped his head to the former Ninja of Fire.

"Kai, Pixal and I need you. Please, come with me."

Kai winced. _Great. Two talks in one day, and one of them was from a dead man! I think I'm going crazy from all this stress!_

He knew he was not crazy. He was completely normal. Well, except for the fact that he was missing an eye.

So, he nodded and rose from his seat, following Borg out into the hall.

"So… what is it?"

"How do you feel?"

Kai groaned. He'd heard this at least eight times since he awoke that morning. "_How do I feel?_ Let's see… blind, worthless, insane!"

"Kai…"

"What?"

Borg didn't flinch. "Pixal wants to stitch up that gash again. With a laceration that deep, we'll need to change those out every day, especially since it's a facial wound."

The Ninja of Fire took a deep breath, dipped his head, and stalked off to find Borg's assistant.

After a few minutes, Pixal caught his attention by calling out to him.

"Hey, Pixal."

"Greetings, Kai. Are you ready?"

Kai shrugged. "Yeah. I've had it done so many times already. Let's just get this over with."

* * *

**Hey, everyone! Bet you missed me! You probably just missed my story! :P ****I missed you guys too! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the pointlessness of this chapter. I just wanted to take a break from the craziness and get into Kai's (and a little bit of Zane's) feelings a bit more! :D**

**I probably won't be updating for a while though because my friend's coming over for a sleepover on Friday! YAY! Sorry for the wait… :(**

**Before I go, I'd like to announce that Ch.2 of Supernatural is up, for my Supernatural readers! XD**

**Bye for now! **

**-HiroKaiMarc**


	4. Giving and Living

**Chapter 4: Giving and Living Pt 1**

It was about three hours after the stitches were replaced, and Kai was exhausted.

It was a long day of yelling at people, crazy dreams, and painful stitches.

And now it was time for bed, to recharge for another miserable day.

It didn't take very long for him to fall asleep. And yet again, he met up with his father in the same place as before.

"Hello, again." Rick chuckled.

But Kai wasn't in the mood for his humor. "What do you want?"

"I have to talk to you."

"Again?" Kai groaned.

Rick rolled his eyes. "Yes…"

"Let me guess. It's about my eye again, isn't it?"

"Uh… sort of."

Kai tipped his head to the side and shot his father a look of absolute bewilderment. "What… what in the world do you mean?"

Rick lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I have the power to give you what you lost, and I am prepared to do just that. Unfortunately, that doesn't come without a price…"

* * *

**Intense! That was a blast! Hope you LOVED it, cause you know I do! :D**

**Only 2 more chapters and this story is complete! Sorry for the shortness!**

**See ya all soon! Buh-Bye! **

**-HiroKaiMarc**


	5. Anything At All

**Chapter 5: Anything At All**

"Unfortunately, that doesn't come without a price…"

Kai was dumbstruck. "A price? What 'price?'"

Rick sighed, "If I give your eye back, I will… no longer be allowed to visit you."

"What? Why?"

"The Spirits of the Stars have a strict code," Rick began to explain. "One of the rules states that we cannot give something without sacrificing something else. They wanted you to make the _ultimate_ sacrifice…"

Kai flinched. That didn't sound good.

"…But I told them that wasn't fair, that you are too young, too brave, too loyal to be taken of the world right now."

"I think they wanted that for you," Kai spoke up, still a little frightened. "They wanted me to stand beside you once again."

Rick nodded. "I know. But that isn't right, and you know it well."

"Well, it's better than never seeing you again!"

"I'm not leaving Star-Sky, I'm just…"

"…Leaving me." Kai finished for his father with a sigh of defeat.

Rick took a deep breath. "I know it's a tough choice to make, but I want you to see both sides of the world, and for a long time."

"But I can't just… wish you away! Not for something so stupid!" The Master of Fire protested.

"You won't have to," Rick replied. "I'll do it for you."

"Are you sure you wanna do this?"

Rick gave his son the barest of smiles. "Anything to keep you happy, son. Anything at all."

* * *

**So Rick won't see Kai again until he dies and joins Star-Sky. Wow. SAD!**

**Hope you enjoyed it! I almost cried writing it. I'm way too emotional sometimes… :(**

**Welp! I'll see you guys in the last chapter! And for me Supernatural readers, I'll see you in Supernatural! Still a few chapters to go on that one! :D**

**See ya later, everyone! :D**

**-HiroKaiMarc**


	6. Rewind

**Chapter 6: Rewind**

The milky-pale rays of dawn filtered through Kai's window, and the morning's normal bustling began.

But no one woke Kai this forenoon, for Kai was plenty awake already, staring at his own reflection in the mirror with awe.

The scar that just hours ago overlapped his bright amber eye had completely disappeared. There was no trace that it was ever even there.

A few more minutes went by, then Cole marched past his teammate's open door, calling to him. "Kai! Come on! You're late for breakfast again!"

Kai rotated from the mirror to his leader, expecting to see a look of astonishment on his face.

But instead, he received Cole's normal, "Get-Downstairs-Now-Or-I'll-Kill-You" looks.

"You comin'?"

Kai was still in a bit of a shock, but he simply dipped his head and obeyed.

Once the two of them arrived in the kitchen, the others were sitting calmly, as if nothing ever happened.

No one bothered to jump up and ask Kai if he needed help, or if he was okay. Nya waved to him, but no one else even acknowledged his presence. And Zane seemed joyful… or as joyful as a Nindroid could be, anyway.

It was wonderful.

Kai didn't sit down, but stayed standing, leaning against the doorway. A voice inside his head told him that his father had completely erased the bloody event from everyone's minds. It was like it never happened.

The Master of Fire had to swallow a squeal of joy as it rose in his throat. And not mentioning anything about his knowledge of the accident, Kai enjoyed breakfast with his friends.

And as he left the room, he could just hear his father's voice saying, "Are you happy _now_? Because I know I am."

* * *

**YAY! The last chapter is up! Now for the epilogue! It's all about Rick! YAY! We all love awesome fathers! :D**

**Thank you for all your support, everyone! Especially FireIce, NellisEllis, and ZaneTheNinjaOfIce! You guys are all so great! XD**

**I really loved this story. It shows how a strong bond with someone can bring you great things, and in Kai's case, an eye! Hehe… :P**

**See you all in my next story (which will be up as soon as soon as I've ****completed Supernatural), Twisted! Super excited to get that one up! And yes, it's about Kai… again. XD**

**-HiroKaiMarc**


	7. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Noon had arrived in Star-Sky, and Rick gave a long sigh of relief at the sight of his son actually having fun. It was a sight that was long overdue.

"Thinking about Kai again, are we?" asked the friendly voice of his wife, Jane.

"I'll admit it," Rick chuckled. "I am. It's hard not to, now that I can't visit him anymore."

Jane dipped her head. "It was for the best. Besides, you will see him again."

"Yes, and hopefully, not for a long time."

Jane snickered. "You did a kind thing for him. He deserved it."

"He deserves more than he'll ever receive. Especially now." Rick sighed.

"We can never give Kai all he deserves, but we can give him what he lost, which you've done once already."

"But what more must be sacrificed?" Rick asked, slightly frantic.

"All we can, Rick. He is our son, and as his parents, it's our duty to do what we must for him."

Rick nodded, finally admitting that his wife was right. "Anything at all."

* * *

**…And done! Yay! We did it! **

**Hope you liked Rick and Jane, cause they're awesome! :D**

**Now to update Supernatural! YAY! XD**

**-HiroKaiMarc **


End file.
